Sam Kamara Bio
Sam Kamara is an American professional football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Born on December 21, 1997, in Carteret, New Jersey, he played college football for the Stony Brook Seawolves from 2016 through 2020. Kamara began his professional career after going undrafted in the 2021 NFL Draft and has since developed into a depth contributor on Cleveland’s defensive line.
Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and listed at 272 pounds, Kamara wears jersey number 92 for the Browns. He is recognized for his work ethic and his journey from a small FCS program to a sustained presence on an NFL roster.
Early Life and Background
Sam Kamara was raised in Carteret, New Jersey, where he attended Carteret High School. He played on both sides of the ball in high school, also serving as a fullback and scoring seven touchdowns for his team. His production and leadership on the field earned him first-team All-Conference honors, along with the Mini Max award, a New Jersey accolade that recognizes performance, academic achievement, and community service.
His high school head coach compared Kamara favorably to fellow Carteret standout Jason Worilds, a second-round NFL draft pick from Virginia Tech in 2010. Although several Football Championship Subdivision programs, including Maine, Monmouth, and Stony Brook, offered him a scholarship, Pittsburgh was the only Football Bowl Subdivision school that showed interest. Kamara ultimately chose Stony Brook, where he would spend the next five seasons and develop into one of the conference’s top defensive linemen.
Path to American Football
Kamara’s path to professional football began with his commitment to the Stony Brook Seawolves. He arrived on campus in 2016 and quickly earned meaningful opportunities as a true freshman. By the end of his college career, he had transformed from a lightly-recruited prospect into a respected defensive end at the FCS level, drawing attention from NFL scouts along the way.
His progression through the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) included standout performances in multiple seasons, and his leadership was recognized when he was named one of three team captains before his senior year. These steps laid the foundation for his transition to the NFL, even though he went undrafted in 2021.
Sam Kamara Career
Early Career (2016–2020)
Kamara played in eight games during his freshman season at Stony Brook in 2016, making three starts. His first career start came on October 29, 2016, against New Hampshire, making him the first true freshman to start a game for Stony Brook that season. In his sophomore year, he started all thirteen games at defensive end and recorded 31 tackles with a sack.
As a junior in 2018, Kamara led the team with nine sacks, recorded 42 tackles, and posted 11.5 tackles for loss. He set a career high with seven tackles against Air Force and added six tackles with 2.5 sacks against Southeast Missouri State in the first round of the FCS playoffs, earning second-team All-CAA honors. A shoulder injury limited his senior season to only five games, but a waiver allowed him to return for a fifth year in 2020, which was postponed to the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the shortened spring season, he recorded 12 tackles and two sacks in three games, earning first-team All-CAA recognition.
Chicago Bears (2021)
Following the 2021 NFL Draft, Kamara signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. He was listed as the fourth-string linebacker on the team’s first depth chart and made his preseason debut on August 14, 2021, against the Miami Dolphins, finishing the preseason with six tackles, three quarterback hits, and a sack. He was waived on August 31, 2021, and re-signed to the practice squad the next day.
Kamara was promoted to the active roster on October 12, 2021, after a season-ending injury to teammate Jeremiah Attaochu, and made his NFL debut on October 17 against the Green Bay Packers, recording his first tackle on Aaron Jones. He was waived on November 3, re-signed to the practice squad, and was later flexed to the active roster for games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions, recording a career-high three tackles against the New York Giants on January 2, 2022. He ended his rookie season playing eight games with 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass deflection, then was waived on August 30, 2022, and released from the practice squad on September 9, 2022.
Cleveland Browns (2022–Present)
On October 4, 2022, Kamara was signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad. He played in one game during the 2022 season, appearing in the Week 18 finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and signed a reserve/future contract on January 9, 2023. The Browns waived him on August 29, 2023, and re-signed him to the practice squad before promoting him to the active roster on December 12, 2023. He finished the 2023 season with seven tackles in the finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In 2024, Kamara was waived on August 27 and re-signed to the practice squad, then promoted to the active roster on September 11. After being waived on October 8 and re-signed to the practice squad, he was promoted again on November 16 and led the Browns with six tackles against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, ending the season with 15 tackles. On August 26, 2025, he was released as part of final roster cuts and re-signed to the practice squad the next day, before being signed to the active roster on December 2, 2025. Kamara re-signed with the Browns on March 24, 2026.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kamara’s strengths include pass-rushing production and the ability to disrupt opposing backfields, demonstrated by his 9.0 sacks in 2018 at Stony Brook and consistent pressure during his NFL preseasons. He has shown versatility by contributing as a depth edge rusher and a special teams presence, and he has recorded tackles for loss, quarterback hits, and pass deflections across multiple seasons, reflecting a well-rounded skill set for a rotational defensive lineman.
Notable Events and Milestones
One signature moment in Kamara’s career was becoming the first true freshman to start a game for Stony Brook in 2016, marking the beginning of a successful college career. In the NFL, his career-high three tackles against the New York Giants in January 2022 and his team-leading six tackles against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 of the 2024 season stand out as memorable performances that helped solidify his role on Cleveland’s defense.
Sam Kamara Career Wins
Sam Kamara has compiled his professional resume through perseverance and steady contributions rather than headline-grabbing statistics. Across his NFL career, he has appeared in games for both the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns, recording tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection in limited action, with career totals of 32 total tackles and one pass deflection as of 2024.
Other Wins & Performances
Kamara earned first-team All-CAA honors in 2020 and second-team All-CAA recognition in 2018, two of the most distinguished awards for a defensive lineman in the Colonial Athletic Association. He also won the Mini Max award in high school, a New Jersey accolade based on performance, academic achievement, and community service.
Sam Kamara Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
There is no widely available public information about Sam Kamara’s parents or family members, and verified details about his immediate family have not been disclosed in public sources.
Personal Life
Sam Kamara was raised in Carteret, New Jersey, the community where he attended Carteret High School and developed into a college football prospect. Public details about his marital status, spouse, or children are not available, and he keeps his personal life largely private.
2025 Season Performance
Kamara entered the 2025 season looking to build on a 2024 campaign in which he recorded 15 tackles and led the Browns with six tackles in the regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. Cleveland released him as part of final roster cuts on August 26, 2025, and re-signed him to the practice squad the next day, keeping him within the organization. He was promoted to the active roster on December 2, 2025, signaling the team’s continued belief in his role on the defensive line.
Over the course of the 2025 season, Kamara served primarily as a rotational defensive end and a depth contributor, providing pass-rushing support and special teams value. His familiarity with the Browns’ defensive system, built over multiple seasons, made him a reliable option when injuries or roster moves required additional depth. With a re-signing confirmed on March 24, 2026, his outlook for the upcoming seasons remains tied to Cleveland’s defensive plans.